Plant Protection

To cooperate in coordination with industrial development in this district and sustainable utilization of agricultural environmental resources, our tasks in plant protection include research in ecology of plant disease and pests, and comprehensive prevention. Other tasks such as non-pesticide preventive techniques, detection and monitor of epidemic situation, prediction, diagnosis, and prescription for crop pests, and education and promotion of safe usage of pesticide are also included.

We have set up crop pests predictive models for peanut leaf spot, soybean rust and soybean purple stain, citrus canker disease, taro seedling soft rot, and leek rust and bulbs mites. These models can effectively predict pest occurrence and so can immediately take any actions of prevention.

Foliar nematode (Aphelenchoides fragarieae) and Pinnaspis buxi are main pests on nested fern.

Mired bug and anthracnose disease are main pests and diseases on yam.

To practice agricultural policies of safety and environmental protection, we have worked on developing non-chemical controlling techniques. We treat small cucumber with ferric chloride to prevent from downy mildew. Phosphorous acid is used to prevent Bakanae disease ( Gibberella fujikuroi ) of rice, and ferrous chloride and clove oil can prevent rice blast. Furthermore, azadirachtin can reduce the damage of leek bulb mites, and muskmelon powdery is treated with a. Bacillus. amyloliquefaciens B190 improver to reduce its damage. These methods can reduce pesticide usage and result in a very good achievement.

Azadirachtin can effectively inhibit leek bulb mites.

Cinnamon can effectively prevent downy mildew on cucumber.

Regarding to techniques of integrated pest management, we have developed preventive techniques for nest fern, yam, kumquat, and water convolvulus, and studied their main pests. We applied malathion, and neem to prevent Pinnaspis buxi of nest fern. For yam, we used imidacloprid and bifenthrin to treat harm of yam mired bug , and benomyl and delan-C to treat anthracnose disease. To treat kumquat's blight, and bacterial wilt of water convolvulus, we have selected tri-copper sulphate grown in hot spring irrigated field, dimethomorph, kasuran, and acidic soil improver etc, to lower their damage.

The prevention to fruit fly by hanging fruit fly trapping box is very effective.

We have promoted the complete prevention of fruit fly (drosophila) in Yilan County, covering area 3,100 hectares, and meanwhile, we also undertook the complete prevention of beet noctuid on spring onion in San Shin village in Yilan County, with the entire area 400 hectares. We thus have greatly reduced the density of fruit fly and beet noctuid, and their prevalence of damage. In the same year, we conducted applied analysis of agricultural weather prediction, and referred to the weather prediction about this district provided by Central Weather Bureau. We thus could provide information for adjusting agricultural practices, to reduce any loss caused by natural disasters.

Bacillu. amyloliquefaciens B190 can effectively inhibit powdery mildew on muskmelon.

We have put our efforts to promote the safety of pesticide usage and application for “GAP, Good Agricultural Practice” etc to 84 agricultural product-cum-marketing groups. Thus it can ensure the produced vegetables and fruits are safe for consumers' purchase. Ultimately we can increase the efficiency of blight prevention and management and product quality to protect consumers' health.